Police Unable To Record Statement Of Rampaging Ex-Army Officer, Who Allegedly Killed 6

The ex-army officer, who is suspected to be mentally unstable, was said to have received a head injury after being arrested, due to which he was admitted for surgery at 8 pm today. Because of his condition after surgery, Haryana police was unable to record the accused's statement.

Naresh Dhankad had ventured into the local government hospital in Palwal, where he was caught on CCTV

New Delhi: A former army officer who allegedly went on a rampage in Haryana's Palwal town, 80 km away from Delhi and bludgeoned six people to death using a three-foot iron rod, underwent a head surgery at a Delhi hospital today. The ex-army officer, who is suspected to be mentally unstable, was said to have received a head injury after being arrested, due to which he was admitted for surgery at 8 pm today. Because of his condition after surgery, Haryana police was unable to record the accused's statement.

The brutal killings were carried out yesterday between 2:30 am and 3:30 am. Naresh Dhankad had ventured into the local government hospital in Palwal, where he was caught on CCTV at around 2:30 am.

Soon after, Dhankad bludgeoned to death his first victim, a 35-year-old woman and continued with his murder spree, his victims including beggars outside the hospital and a security guard. He was apprehended in an area close to the hospital.

A senior doctor said that Dhankad had a blood clot and was yet to gain consciousness.

"We operated on Dhankad and removed the blood clot. He is in the ICU and was taken off the ventilator in the morning. His condition is stable but he is yet to gain consciousness," said Dr Karam Chand Sharma, who heads the neurosurgery department at Safdarjung hospital.

The Haryana police was thus unable to take a statement from Dhankad. "We have yet not been able to record the accused's statement as he is still not in a position to do so. He is currently admitted to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital," Sulochana Gajraj, a Palwal police official said.

The victims' family members held a protest by blocking the road outside the civil hospital where the murders took place. The district administration afterwards announced a Rs 3 lakh compensation for the families of the victims.

Karan Singh Dalal, Congress MLA from Palwal, said the compensation was too little and said it was an insult to the families. He also said the police failed to act on time to prevent the crime.

"The compensation is too meagre and is like insulting the families of those who have lost their bread earners," he said.